The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1887-08-15
LIE LONE FISHERMAN.
Origin OF a Noted Stage Characteristic
NOR in PantOmime.


Origin OF a Noted Stage Characteristic
NOR in Pantomime.
1t is not generally known that Mr..
AIaht created the part Of the Lone Fisher
man in "Evangeline. 5" The character is
50 unique that in many places the play is
remembered by this part alone. The
Fisherman is on in every scene, but does
not speak a word, and his only connection
with the play is to burn the will in the
last act. Mr.. NafIit said:
The history Of the part IS this: When
Mr.. Rice was a boy in New England he
saw a panorama. Sitting on the stage, at
one side OF the picture, was an old man
who had no business there and no con
nectiOn with the show. He was absorbed
in the picture. and as it was unrOlled his
face expressed a great variety of emotions
of pleasure, dis8pprOyal surprise etc.
Sometimes he would laugh quietly The
audience quit watching the picture
and watched the old man. who
made an immense hit. Rice always
remembered h5m. When "Evange-
line" was contemplated Rice came to me
and asked me if l wouldn't do a non
speaking part in il. The matter rested
there for some time. '-Evangeline'' was
produced in New York in 1874, at Niblo's
Garden. Billy Crane, who had been the
buffo in an opera company, was the lie
Blanc, and Ed. Tar, then. as now. was the
King. Louis Mestayer was Catherine,
FOrtesque's part, and Laura Joyce, now
Mrs. Digby Bell, was Evangeline. a fish
erman went on in each act, but all he did
was 10 fish. He had no other business,
and at the close Of the play he spoke line
and burned the VIII In 1870 the play
was brought 10 Boston, where my part
uer, Bartholomew. now with the KiraIfys,
7 r,GFf Dfy..S
reminded me Of the part he had asked me
to play, but said there was no part there
unless | made it, which he left it to me to
do. ! went to the rehearsalS and con
cluded to undertake the character. I
made it up as you now see it. and intro
duced some Of the business. It came
gradually, though and largely by acct
dent At first l did not dance. Then it
occurred to me to fill in blank with one
The Lone Fisherman's dance is now fam
Gus.
Zone night I took a fan out with me
for my own personal comfort and sat fan
ming myself upon the rocks. The fan
made hit and | always carried it after
ward. An old umbrella was living in the
property room one night and l took that
on. II added to the effect. | was whit
ting a piece of wood with jackknife
and / thought it would look natural to
L
else to do. Then / bethought me of max
ing boat l made il, and my business
with it was to admire it. That made
people laugh. ! concluded to 90 further
and work the boat OF the stage That
always makes 'eU laugh. OF course the
boat is pulled oil by cord but l seem to
fan it off, and my establishment at seeing
il move is what creates the fun. The
business with the rat is a revival of an
pI1 arltC fyipl h.
monte business is another accident. do |
several tricks with cards, and one night
last winter | was showing them to the
stage carpenters. When l got on the stage
concluded l would try the tricks there |
threw the cards and / saw that the audi |
ence became interested; so I just made it |
a part of the regular performance, and |
now | always pretend to be throwing the |
cards for some. guys money. Sometimes |
bets are made among men in the front |
rows that they can call my card, but / |
always fool them. Courier Journal